People are bonding over 'the impossible task' — a depression symptom that doesn't often get talked about

Author M. Molly Backes started a discussion that many found resonant and helpful about "the Impossible Task" — when depression makes it difficult to do something you might otherwise find easy.

Anything can become an impossible task if your depression convinces you that it is.

People came together on this thread to share experiences and solutions.

The important thing is to talk about it in some way and work through it at your own pace.

Social media can certainly be toxic and harmful in many ways, but at its best, social media can be a place for people of similar experiences to come together to raise awareness, and that's exactly what happened with a recent thread from author M. Molly Backes.

On Monday, she used her Twitter platform to attention to one of the big hidden symptoms of depression— and so many people instantly related to this discussion.

She talked about "The Impossible Task" — a symptom of depression so many related to.

An Impossible Task can be anything — from brushing your teeth to brushing your hair to retrieving and opening your mail — that you can't just can't tackle

"The Impossible Task is rarely actually difficult. It's something you've done a thousand times," Backes wrote. "For this reason, it's hard for outsiders to have sympathy. 'Why don't you just do it & get it over with?' 'It would take you like 20 minutes & then it would be done.' OH, WE KNOW."

"If you're grappling with an Impossible Task, you already have these conversations happening in your brain," she continued. "Plus, there's probably an even more helpful voice in your brain reminding you of what a screw up you are for not being able to do this seemingly very simple thing."

People responded instantly — in the most real and relatable ways

But if you're in a place where you can talk about your experience, sometimes it can help spur you into taking small but important steps — like asking for help

Some people responded with scary experiences, where a seemingly small Impossible Task snowballed into something more serious

This thread also highlighted how important it is for people to reach out — if they can — because no matter what you're going through, you're not alone

If someone you love is dealing with depression, one of the best things you can do for them is to just be present — and actively listen to what they need